Garment



Feb. 14, 1928.

A. V. RIGNEY ET AL GARMENT Filed May 25, 1927 Patented Feb. 14, 19 28.

x -1,6'59,281' V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANNE V. RIGNEY AND EMMA M. BURKE, F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

GARMENT.

. Application filed May 25,

This invention relates to a corset or garment for supporting the abdomen, and has for its object to provide in such a garment means whereby the body may be held in a youthful form to lend grace and beauty to the figure of the wearer and permit the dresses or gowns to fall in graceful folds without unsightly wrinkles and yet one which gives perfect comfort and ease of movement to the body in dancing and in athletic exercises.

A further object of the invention is to extend the supporting ribs of the corset to a suflicient height to control the flesh above the abdomen of the body. A still further object of the invention is the lacing of the corset at one side of the center of the front part thereof whereby the same may be easily and conveniently adjusted to different sizes and shapes by the wearer.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the gar: ment in position on the wearer.

Figure 2 is a view similar to F lgure 1 with the outer covering for the front part or belt of the arment spread open.

Figure 3'15 a perspective view of the back of the garment in position on the wearer.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Figure 3 of the garment with the front covering in extended position.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the stiffening ribs showing the double boning therein. a It is found desirable in the construction of corsets for womens wear to so form the same that it preserves the contour of the body, keeps the hips from spreading, assists the muscles to support the abdomen, insures even distribution of the surplus flesh and at the same time gives comfort to the wearer and ease of movement to the body, and to secure these desirable results, we have pro vided a garment having a back part and a front part, both of which are provided with v stiffening supporting ribs located in a posi- 'tion to support the body and yet not in contact with vital portions such as the spine to irritate the same or interfere with'the comfort of the wearer; we have also provided a 1927. Serial No. 194,077.

lacing for adjustment of the size of the garment at one side and a separable hooked portion at the opposite side of the middle of the front part of the garment whereby the same may be easily accessible for ad'ustment, and we have also inserted resi 'ent elastic gores to permit the garment to yieldlngly expand during movement of the body to assist in the comfort of the same; and the following is a detailed description of the first embodiment of this invention showing one means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished With reference to the drawings, designates the back part of the garment and 11 the front part or belt, the front being attached to the back at 12 by stitching or other suitable means, and the back part being extended beyond its point of attachment as at 13 on one side and at 14 on the other side to provide a covering for the front part or belt 11 the edges 15 and 16 of which may be suitably secured together by nooks 17 and eyes 18 of the usual construction. Both the back part and the front part are provided with stiffening supporting ribs 19 and 20 which in the back part are positioned on either side of the middle portion thereof, as illustrated in Figure 3 so as to avoid contact with the spine 21 and prevent discomfort to the wearer. The stiffening ribs 20 in the front part are inclined on each side of the center to converge towards the bottom thereof, as illustrated in Figure 2, to better follow the curvature of the body for supporting the abdomen. Inserted into the front part at each side thereof in position to cover the hips of the wearer there are elastic gores 22 of the so-called surgical elastic or other suitable material to permit resiliency of the garment for thecomfort of the wearer and yet these resilient inserts are of sufficient strength to hold the body in the desired shape.

The front part of belt 11 is also provided with the usual lacing 23 passing through suitable eyelets and extending criss-cross back and forth between the difierent portions of the front part for adjustment of the encircling size of the garment. The front part is also divided into portions 24 and 25 provided respectively with the usual hooks and eyes 26 for detachably separating these portions to remove the garment from the body. It will be noted that both of the detachable connections of the parts'24 and 25 and the lacing are on different sides of the center of the front part and that the lacing is in such position as may be readily accessible for adjustment by the wearer.

We have also inserted an elastic 27 in the back part at the lower portion thereof to prevent any binding of this part on the body; also the shoulder stra supports 28 are attached to the garment t irough elastic inserts 29 to support the garment in position against the pull of garters 30 at the lower e ge thereof for supporting the stockings as desired. Elastic gores 31 may also be inserted at the sides of the covering for the front part to resiliently permit expansion as desired.

It will be noted that the ribs 20 in the front part extend to a point higher than the position of the upper edge of the abdomen 32 of the body to control the flesh which may be elevated by compressing the abdomen and that the unstayed portion of the front part extends to the upper edge of the diaphragm. It will also be noticed that the covering for the front part extends above the front part to perform the function of a brassiere to hold the breasts in position and give smooth and graceful lines to the figure and permit a gown to assume unwrinkled, graceful lines.

The stiffening ribs or bones are provided in airs, as illustrated clearly in Figures 4 and 5 and one of these stiffening pairs is beneath each arm as illustrated at 33 to control the figure at either side.

The elastic inserts in the front part are inserted at a point spaced from the point of attachment of the back and front to leave a breadth of non-elastic fabric between the elastic insert and the point of attachment of the front part and the back to better control the abdomen.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but We desire it to be understood that we reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a garment, a back part, a front part, stiffening members in each part, the stifl'ening members in said front part covering the abdomen, an unstayed portion of said front part extending above the upper ends of the stiffening members therein and to the upper edge of the diaphragm, and elastic inserts between said back part and said front part on both sides of said front part and extending from top to bottom of said front part.

2. In a garment, a back part, a front part, stiffening members in each part, the stiffening members in said front part covering the abdomen, an unstayed portion of said front part extending above the upper ends of the stiffening members therein and to the upper edge of the diaphragm, elastic inserts between said back and said front part on both sides of front part and extending from top to bottom of said front part, and a covering for the front part formed by an extension of the back part from either side of its point of attachment to the front part.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

ANNE V. RIGNEY. EMMA M. BURKE. 

